Augmented Reality Mixed Reality Virtual Reality
How technology is distracting me from what matters.
Guest Contribution
Manifesto
Social media is destroying our relationships. We fight through our phones and use them as shields. We love through social media and the disconnect that it provides. We hate through the internet and cower behind its privacy. These protective barriers we use to connect to the entire world have left us more alone than we have ever been. The time of human connection is lost. Our choice to take the path of least resistance has led to weak relationships destined to fail. In a world controlled by humans our relationships are crucial to our success, without them we will crumble.
Mini Essay
For every argument agents technology, there are two waiting to defend it. From claiming that it leads to new innovation to how it makes us more efficient. While in general these are valid arguments they are not so in my life. I would love to claim that technology make me a better person but in reality its main involvement in my life is distraction. All too many times I have spent the day before an exam watching Netflix on my laptop or spent a beautiful day sitting on my phone. Unfortunately, those are just the tip of the iceberg. I read an article once that said my phone has 10,000 times the computing power than the technology that sent the first man to outer space; and yet I use it to slingshot angry pixilated birds at some pigs. That is all the information I need to recognize that I am squandering the technology at my fingertips.
I would not say that I have many regrets, but the ones I do have involve not doing something that I could have. Whether it be studying harder for a test I failed or realizing that I didn’t go backpacking once last summer. I missed both those opportunities because I was zoned out on my technology. Technology is great when put in the hands of people who want to use it to make a difference in the world. But it prevents people like me from getting off my butt to make my own difference.
Curated Collection
SUMMARY: This article goes over how Trumps proposed wall is useless without the use of technology. It is the sensors that monitor the border and not the physical barriers that are most effective.
QUOTE: “If you were to build a wall from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico, you would still have to back that wall up with patrolling by human beings, by sensors, by observation devices,” Homeland Security secretary John Kelly said recently.
WORTHINESS: This piece perfectly shows how technology is changing the world. If you look back in time at the Great wall of china, the physical greatness of it is what makes it amazing, but nowadays it is outmatched by little sensors and pieces of technology. Interestingly though a critical part of either of these walls is that they both require men to operate properly.
SUMMARY: Companies Building VR and AR platforms intentionally don’t make their systems capable of interacting with one and other. This article raises the question if this intentional separation will effect your social “bubble”.
QUOTE: “Today, we have our differences, but at least when all share the same world, the same physical space, the same reality. But if we start tinkering with this reality and share changes only with certain people, the world starts to split.”
WORTHINESS: This idea came true for many kids entering college this year. Not in the form of VR but Apple messaging. Apple intentionally designed its messing system to be more user friendly with other Apple users and kids with other phones were often left out of these messaging conversations. As VR and AR become more popular it seems reasonable this could happen on a larger scale.
SUMMARY: Facebook is recognizing the fact that they have become a platform of fake news. Using the example of how Russia used their platform to influence the US election they are developing soft where and fail safes to help insure that their platform is not misleading the public.
QUOTE: “Facebook Inc acknowledged on Thursday that it has become a battleground for governments seeking to manipulate public opinion in other countries and outlined new measures it is taking to combat what it calls “information operations” that go well beyond the phenomenon known as fake news.”
WORTHINESS: From the smallest example of a bias post on political views all the way to governments tampering with an election I see the current generation being manipulated by social media. The idea that many people rely on Facebook for their main source of news is frightening. Up until now people have been able to post and claim anything without being required to prove any of it. I believe that this problem is going to become a lot worse if all social media companies don’t start perusing similar policies.
SUMMARY: Amazons artificial intelligence system is possibly one of the most sophisticated out there and they are now lending it to other companies so that they as well may track you to predict your shopping needs. This system is incredibly efficient and is responsible for over 3 billion dollars of profit last year.
QUOTE: “It reported a stunning $12.2 billion in sales last year, and more than $3 billion in profit. Giving all AWS clients easy access to advanced data-tracking tools means Amazon is making the baseline for corporate surveillance online much more sophisticated.”
WORTHINESS: It is without question that our society is becoming more materialistic by the day. While there are many possibilities of why this is happening, an artificial intelligence responsible for 3 billion dollars is sales seems probable. The easy access that new technologies like this give people to buy stuff is creating a materialistic society.
SUMMARY: Google is now releasing a carpool app set to rival Uber. In doing this Google ended ties that it previously had with Uber. This left Uber in a tight spot as they counted on the backing of companies like Google to help with financial problems. Uber reported losing 1 Billion this year and is obviously struggling.
QUOTE: “Google’s pockets are sufficiently deep to make a grand entrance into this space if it wants. Perhaps even more importantly, it has the detailed mapping data necessary to actually put self-driving cars on the road ? an ultimate goal for Uber, Lyft and many other companies.”
WORTHINESS: The most interesting part of this article is not Google introducing a new service, but just how many services that they have their hands in. Made clear by this, google pretty much has the power to overtake and replace just about any company out there. It is worrying to see a private company with so much power. The question must be asked if this power needs to be more regulated.
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